


On The Eve Of New Year's Eve

by carolej126



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 02:08:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18650740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolej126/pseuds/carolej126
Summary: Written in 2000.Jim and Blair host an early New Year's Eve party.





	On The Eve Of New Year's Eve

_Let's play! For one hundred dollars... Lassie was what kind of animal? Horse, zebra, elephant, dog?_

I used to watch that show when I was a kid. Lassie was a dog. 

Final answer? 

Yeah, it's dog. 

You're right! The answer is dog! 

Blair snickered at the dramatic announcement. "Oh, come on! Of course he's right!" 

"Sandburg, you know that the first questions are always easy. Remember last week's one hundred dollar question?" called Jim from upstairs. 

"Easy is one thing, an insult to my intelligence is another!" Blair retorted. 

"It would be a lot harder to answer those questions if you were sitting in that chair with a camera in your face." 

"Yeah, maybe," Blair muttered. 

"Chief, can you get the door? Simon's here." 

"Yeah, I got it," said Blair as he headed for the door. 

"Sandburg, isn't it enough that one of you does that?" Simon complained, hand still poised to knock on the door. 

"Sorry," Blair apologized with a grin. "Where's Daryl?" 

"Daryl decided to play miniature golf with some of his friends instead," Simon answered with a shrug as he entered the apartment. "I guess he thought it would be more fun than spending the evening with us, as he says, _old_ people." 

* * *

_For two hundred dollars, take a look at this... According to the nursery rhyme, what was Humpty Dumpty sitting on? Couch, Chair, Wall, Mountain?_

He was sitting on a wall. 

You're sure? 

Yeah. My daughter got a book of nursery rhymes for Christmas, and she's always asking me to read it. 

Final answer? 

Yeah, he was on a wall. 

You're right! 

"Big surprise, there," Jim chuckled as he descended the stairs. 

"Uh, Jim, aren't you a little underdressed?" 

Jim glanced down at his blue boxer shorts. "Very observant, Sandburg, and who was it that left my clean clothes sitting in the laundry basket?" 

"Oh, sorry, Jim." 

"Hey, Jim, personally, I don't care what you wear tonight," laughed Simon from his position on the couch. 

"Ha, ha," Jim responded with a grin, as he snatched the loaded laundry basket from beside the front door and carried it back upstairs. 

* * *

_For three hundred dollars... which of the following is not an insect? Mosquito, beetle, ladybug, cat?_

Not an insect. That would be cat. 

Final answer? 

Yeah, cat is my final answer. 

You're right! The answer is cat! 

"What's that? The pre-game entertainment?" H asked as he put two large foil-covered dishes on the kitchen counter. 

Joel grinned as he took a seat next to Simon on the couch in front of the television. "Hey, don't knock it. I love that show!" 

"Me, too," agreed Rafe, entering the room with a pie in each hand. 

"Mmmm," said Blair as he got a look at the dessert that Rafe carried. "Chocolate cream pie!" 

"I was going to bring some peanut brittle, too," Rafe said as he headed for the kitchen. "But I decided not to after trying a piece. Man, that stuff was so hard I thought I might end up wearing dentures!" 

"So, what's the Millionaire show doing on tonight?" H asked. 

"It's a special edition." Jim explained. "A half hour of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?' before the game starts." 

"The first time I watched it, some guy from New York City made it all the way to the final question. He had used up all of his life lines, and instead of stopping and taking the cash, he guessed... wrong!" Joel chuckled. "What an idiot!" 

"What level is he on?" H asked. 

"Just answered the three hundred dollar question," Joel replied. 

* * *

_For four hundred dollars... Which of the following states is known as the 'Aloha State'? Is it Kansas, Texas, Alaska, Hawaii?_

I believe that would be Hawaii. 

You sound very sure of your answer. 

I am. A couple of years ago my wife and I went to Hawaii on vacation. We spent three weeks there. 

So, your final answer is? 

Hawaii. 

You're right! The answer is Hawaii! 

"Hey, Hairboy, isn't that where your mom went for the holidays?" H asked. 

"Yeah, it is. She was real excited about seeing the islands." 

"Have you heard from her?" asked Joel. 

"Yep," Blair answered with obvious delight. "She sent a letter and some pictures." 

"She's quite the traveler!" said Rafe. 

"I know. I thought I was going to be the world traveler in the family. Now she travels more than I do!" Blair laughed. 

"Getting tired of Cascade?" Joel asked. 

"No way," Blair said quickly, seeing the look that Jim was sending his way. "I'm not going anywhere." 

* * *

_For five hundred dollars... In baseball, which player is positioned behind home plate? Pitcher, catcher, centerfielder, shortstop?_

I know this one. My oldest son has been playing baseball for years, and I was an assistant coach last year. The answer is catcher. 

Catcher, you're sure? 

Yeah, I'm sure. 

Final answer? 

Yeah, Catcher. 

You're right! 

"Jim, what happened, man?" H called, turning as the door opened. 

"I banged my toe," Jim answered, taking another step with a barely disguised wince. 

"We went downstairs to get some extra chairs out of the storage room. Somebody left a can of red paint sitting right in front of the door," Joel explained. 

"Is it broken?" Blair asked, coming over to put his hand on Jim's arm. "Come on, Jim. Sit down." 

"I'm fine," Jim insisted, continuing to head for the kitchen. 

"Jim!" Blair said in exasperation. "If I had come back limping like that..." 

"He would have carried you over to the couch!" H said. 

"He's right, Jim. Maybe we should carry you to the couch," Joel suggested. 

"And tuck you in," Rafe added with a grin. 

"Don't even try it," Jim growled. Defeated, he slowly made his way over to the couch. 

"Here's some ice." Joel handed the towel-wrapped bag to Blair. 

"Is it okay? Can you dial it down?" Blair asked, Sentinel soft, as he elevated Jim's foot on a pillow and positioned the ice bag. 

Jim nodded. "It's just a bruise, and I already did." 

* * *

_For one thousand dollars... Many Americans make this on New Year's Eve. A New Year's pledge, New Year's vow, New Year's resolution, New Year's promise?_

I made one of those this year. It's a New Year's resolution. 

Final answer? 

Yes, my final answer is a New Year's resolution. 

You're right! It is a New Year's resolution! 

"What is that, Sandburg?" Simon asked, following the delicious smell wafting out of the kitchen. 

"Stew," Blair answered innocently, with a gleam in his eyes. 

"I know it's stew! What kind of stew?" 

"Just stew." 

Simon took a deep breath. "And it's made out of..." 

"The usual stuff." 

"Sandburg, with you there is no such thing as the usual stuff." 

"Just vegetables and beef." 

Simon glared at Blair over the top of his glasses. "No grasshoppers, crickets, ants, or anything else that might decide to move while I'm eating?" 

Blair snickered. "Scout's honor." 

At Simon's look of doubt, Jim decided to chime in. "You're safe, sir. I made the stew. Junior here was in charge of the drinks." 

* * *

_For two thousand dollars... Colonel Mustard, Professor Plum, and Mrs. Peacock are characters in what game? Yatzee, Candy Land, Poker, Clue?_

Uh, this is a really hard one. I might have to use one of my life lines. No, wait! I know this one. I remember playing it when I was a kid. It's, uh, Clue. 

Clue. Are you sure? 

Pretty sure. 

Sure enough to make it your final answer? 

Uh, yeah, Clue. 

You're right! The correct answer is Clue! 

"I was hoping he'd say Candy Land," laughed Joel. 

"Candy Land?" Blair repeated. "But..." 

"I knew it wasn't the right answer! But if he was thinking about using one of his life lines on that one, he's never gonna make it to the million dollar question." 

"Hey, Jim, what's with all the toilet paper stacked in the bathroom?" H called. "You didn't buy into the Y2K hysteria, did you?" 

"Well, aside from the 4 cases of toilet paper that Sandburg bought, no," Jim laughed. 

"Hey, they were on sale," Blair defended himself with a grin. "But from what I hear, there's a lot of people who are taking it seriously. Amtrak is stopping all of their trains just before midnight... just in case. My credit union said that they're Y2K compliant, but their call 24 number will be out of service on January 1st for _routine_ maintenance." 

"Yeah," added Joel. "And the phone company said that they're ready, but we should expect lines to be down just after midnight due to the high number of people that will be calling just to see if the phones are still working." 

"I'm more concerned about all of the ordinary citizens out there that have weapons armed and ready," Simon commented with a frown. "That's why we'll all be working a twenty-four hour shift tomorrow and on New Year's Day." 

* * *

_For four thousand dollars... What was the number of the ill-fated Apollo mission that suffered a mid-flight explosion? Four, Eleven, Thirteen, Fifteen?_

I know this one because I went to see the movie. It was thirteen. 

Sure? 

Yeah. 

Final answer? 

Yeah, thirteen. 

You're right! 

"I can't believe it! That guy reached the four thousand dollar level and time ran out! I wanted to see him go all the way!" Blair said, as he settled carefully next to Jim on the couch with his over-full plate of food. 

"Well, it didn't help that he had to explain every decision he made," Rafe complained. 

"Yeah, now we've got to wait until next week to see if he wins," H added, as he balanced his equally overloaded plate on his lap. 

"Game started?" Simon asked, making his way around the chairs to sit on the love seat. 

"Announcing the starting lineups right now," Joel mumbled through a mouthful of food. 

"This is great, Jim," H said, taking a sip of his beer. "Thanks for inviting us over tonight." 

Jim smiled and nodded toward his partner. "Thank Sandburg over there. It was his idea." 

Blair grinned. "I just thought that, since we all have to work over the holiday, it would be fun to get together tonight." 

"You were right, Hairboy," H said, offering a mock salute in Blair's direction. 

"I'm getting another beer," Rafe called as he got up. "Anybody else need anything?" 

Amid a chorus of "no's" Jim's eyes met his partner's with an affectionate look. "Nope, I've got everything I need." 

Blair's eyes softened. "Thanks, Jim," he said, voice pitched for Sentinel ears. 

"You're welcome, Chief," Jim whispered back. 


End file.
